Close up of hands using tablet and smartphone with skull hologram on blurry outdoor background.

Things You Should Know But Don’t: Does Social Media Escalate Violence?

We’ve known for a long time now that an excess of social media can be detrimental to one’s mental health. […]

Douglas Wood - March 13, 2023
Digital map of a city's transport system, colored in bright red & white against a black background

Things You Should Know But Don’t: Crime Mapping & Forecasting

The other week I gave an overview of how AI is currently being used by police in criminal investigations. In […]

Douglas Wood - February 27, 2023
Shanghai , China - FEB 19 2021: Public surveillance cameras on a pole in the city of China Shanghai.

Things You Should Know But Don’t: China in the Sky

As a novelist, I sometimes enjoy reading the diatribes of conspiracy theorists.  They’re often great grist to conjure up fictional […]

Douglas Wood - February 20, 2023
Photograph of an open dictionary on a desk. On top of the pages is a magnifying glass.

Things You Should Know But Don’t: Origins of a Serial Killer

What makes a serial killer? While that’s a provocative question, I mean it here in the most literal sense: What, […]

Douglas Wood - February 13, 2023
A photo of scientists working in a lab with an overlay of graphics on top. The graphics depict icons of DNA, charts, beakers, and other scientific instruments.

Things You Should Know But Don’t: How Forensic Science Uses AI

If you’ve heard anything about artificial intelligence (AI) recently, it has most likely concerned its impact on the artistic community […]

Douglas Wood - January 30, 2023
Dark photo of a female detective looking at a cork board. On the board there are notes and newspaper clippings.

Things You Should Know But Don’t: The Golden Age of Serial Killers

John Wayne Gacy. Jeffrey Dahmer. Ted Bundy. The Zodiac Killer. Son of Sam. Even people who don’t actively seek out […]

Douglas Wood - January 16, 2023
A picture of someone working at a desk covered in evidence bags, folders, and documents related to a criminal investigation

Things You Should Know But Don’t: The FBI & Forensic Science

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation was created in 1908 by Attorney General Charles Bonaparte. At the time, the U.S. […]

Douglas Wood - December 19, 2022
A red 3D model of DNA against a dark background

Things You Should Know But Don’t: What Works in Forensic Science

In my last blog, I discussed the ways that a lot of forensic science in pop culture is taken on […]

Douglas Wood - December 5, 2022
Typewriter, fingerprints and papers on desk in office. Detective's workplace

Things You Should Know But Don’t: Pitfalls of Forensic Science

If you’re a fan of true crime, you’re likely familiar with many of the forensic methods police and detectives use […]

Douglas Wood - November 21, 2022
A top-down image of a person in a hoodie typing on an illuminated keyboard against a black background

Things You Should Know But Don’t: Serial Killer Fandoms

True crime has been a popular genre for several decades.  At this point, it’s common for people to watch a […]

Douglas Wood - November 7, 2022
« Previous Entries
Next Entries »